Interruptions
by be-a-genius
Summary: The fireworks and fire-extinguisher scenes had to be some form of foreshadowing. A series of one-shots depicting special moments between Happy and Toby that are rudely interrupted. Based on an idea on Tumblr. More information inside. Latest chapter: "Almost Ready"
1. Almost-Date

**Hello!**

**These one-shots are in response to an idea on tumblr from "dreamlily123". Since I don't have a tumblr, I can't respond on tumblr, so I posted this here. If dreamlily123 is reading this and would like me to take this down, I will ASAP. Here is the prompt that she posted.**

* * *

_**I know something happening twice, isn't really a trend, but I feel like a running joke in Scorpion is going to be Toby &amp; Happy getting interrupted in "big" moments. Like all the time. **_

_**I mean, their first -almost-kiss was interrupted**_

_**And so was Toby's "Happy Quinn, I am in L-" * Que the fire extinguisher***_

_**Imagine future "big moments" getting interrupted**_

_**\- They go on their first date - Walter calls and they have to go save the world**_

_**-Moving in together- Bad guy steels the boxes.**_

_**\- Takes a pregnancy test- Somehow it gets broken before finding out the results. (Drops it, and Toby steps on it, cause he's a spiller and clumsy)**_

_**\- Someone's about to propose - a bird swoops down and steals the ring (absurd but I couldn't think of anything else, but wouldn't that be funny?!) Or Walter smashes it like the other couples, to make a smoke bomb.**_

_**These need to be written!**_

* * *

**I took one of the parts out because I would like to keep this story rated K-T, but thank you for your idea, dreamlily123! I hope you like this!**

**Obviously- there are spoilers ahead. Scorpion does not belong to me!**

****I received some constructive criticism from a Guest that I should change a minor detail at the end. If you are following this story, sorry if you thought this update was a new chapter. The next chapter will be soon, and I am always open to constructive criticism!****

* * *

"So then I said, 'Dude, that's so four score and seven years ago.'"

Happy could no longer contain herself and broke out into a fit of giggles. She tried to recollect herself by taking a sip of her Coca Cola. Happy nodded at the shrink, who was proudly sporting a smile from making Happy laugh at his story. Happy opened her mouth to speak as her laughter died into a smiling smirk.

"That's a good one," she said, "But how could you have gotten into a rap battle with Abraham Lincoln? He was alive _way _before you were born."

Toby threw his hands up in the air and laughed.

"That's the point of the game!" He took a sip of Dr. Pepper before continuing, "You're supposed to make up a story that makes no sense and present it in a way that makes it believable."

Toby and Happy had finally decided to go on a date a week after the forest fire case. Since Toby "won" the bet, Happy got to decide where to go. Since the both of them hated fancy dinner-dates, she decided on dinner at their favorite pizza place and a movie afterwards. They had already sat down and ordered their meal when Toby suggested that they play a game. Since Happy and Toby were best friends, they knew almost everything about each other, so the game was a good fallback for their first date.

"It's your turn," Toby said, "Make it good."

"Alright, alright," Happy replied, slapping Toby lightly on the arm, "give me a second to think."

Happy turned her face skyward and faked contemplation. Toby's heart melted at the sight, but he kept his feelings hidden for Happy's sake. Finally, Happy turned back to Toby and began.

"So there was this one time I had dinner with the king."

Toby raised an eyebrow and leaned in towards Happy.

"Tell me about it."

Happy sat back and told her tale.

"We had been friends for a long time. This king wasn't your average monarch. He enjoyed rock music and donuts and wore a stupid hat as his crown."

Toby smiled as he noticed the allusion. Happy rolled her eyes and continued.

"We met just after his nasty break-up with the queen. He was heartbroken, but he put aside his issues to help me recognize and cope with mine. That meant a lot to me, so we became very close friends. For a long time, I wanted nothing more than that."

Happy suddenly felt very uncomfortable. She knew she needed to admit her feelings at some point, but she was starting to regret doing so now. Thankfully, the waiter interrupted her and dropped off their pepperoni and sausage pizza. After serving Happy a piece, Toby took one for himself and nodded for Happy to continue.

"But..." her voice trailed off as she tried to gather her nerve. After fighting an inner battle with herself, her defenses won and she gave up.

"He pulled some strings, made a few bets," Happy lightly sighed, "We had dinner, and it was nice."

Toby noticed Happy's nervousness as she reached the end of her story, and his heart deflated a little when she did not follow through with her confession. But Toby quickly caught his composure. He knew it was hard for Happy to admit her feelings to the world, so he planned on letting her take her time.

"You know," he added, "that reminds me of this one time I had dinner with a beautiful princess."

It was Happy's turn to raise an eyebrow. Toby smirked and locked eyes with the guarded mechanic.

"Her name is Happy Quinn."

Happy's heart fluttered and she felt a blush rising to her cheeks. A grin was threatening to form on her lips. She shoved a bite of pizza into her mouth to try to cover her bluff, but she knew that the shrink had received the message. They looked into each other's eyes with a million things to say. But the words were left unsaid as Toby's phone broke the silence. Their eyes reluctantly broke contact, and Toby reached for his phone. He placed the device against his ear.

"What, Walter?" he began speaking in annoyance, "What could you possibly want?"

"We have a case," Walter replied in his usual monotone voice, "I'll explain everything when you get here. You aren't busy, are you?"

"No, not at all," Toby replied, his voice practically oozing with sarcasm.

"Good," Walter replied, completely missing Toby's implication, "I'll see you and Happy in ten minutes."

After hanging up with Walter, Toby turned back to Happy, who had already gotten their hardly touched pizza boxed.

"Duty calls," she said to Toby. He nodded and sighed, handing his credit card to the waiter before Happy could say otherwise.

"Aren't I supposed to be taking you to dinner?" Happy argued.

"As if I would let you pay for our first date," Toby countered.

"More like 'almost-date'," Happy replied with a smirk. Toby grinned and signed the check before heading out to the car. As they pulled out on the road, Toby turned and looked at Happy.

"You know," he started, "you did leave a few major plot holes in your story."

Happy looked down and her feet and bit her lip. Toby smiled, genuinely smiled, and leaned over to press a gentle kiss on her forehead. As they sat next to each other, Happy's hand found Toby's. The car fell into a comfortable silence before Happy murmured.

"Thank you, Toby."

* * *

After working all night on the case, Happy and Toby crashed at Toby's apartment. Exhausted and starving, they indulged in reheated pizza and ice-cold soda. They tried to find something satisfying on television, but nothing worthwhile was on at four in the morning. Finally, they settled on renting Men in Black from On-Demand. Halfway through the movie, Happy fell asleep on Toby's chest with a smile on her face.

* * *

**That was a little short, but the prompt kind of called for the story to be shorter. I think brevity is the key. Leave me a review if you liked it!**

**The next chapter will probably be Happy and Toby kissing in front of the team for the first time. Someone will cut them off, but I won't spoil it for you!**

**I wasn't sure what movie to put for them to be watching at the end (I'm not very literate in thrillers and things like that), but if anyone has any better ideas then send them my way.**

**Stay tuned.**


	2. Almost Died

**Hi!**

**Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews! They really motivated me to write this next chapter!**

**Thanks for sticking around to the next segment. I'm not as happy with this one, but I hope you like it!**

**I don't own Scorpion.**

* * *

Rain fell like bullets against the waiting room window. The sound reverberated around the hollow area, bouncing off empty chairs and desolate faces. In short, Happy didn't like it. The waiting room's atmosphere put her on edge.

Even though it was just a broken arm, Happy was still shaking with worry and anger. She had been the one that he called because he was drunk, lost and needed a ride. She had been the one that witnessed him falling off of a fire escape in a dark alley because he had bluffed his way through a game of poker and won the jackpot. She had been the one who yelled at him the entire way to the hospital for giving in to the poker table, for breaking their promise, and for letting the team down.

Phone calls had already been made to the team to explain what happened. They told her that they would be there soon, but not soon enough. She had been sitting in the waiting room for ten minutes too long and was ready for some fresh air. She squeezed her hands into fits and relaxed them- a calming technique that Toby had taught her- but her breath wouldn't stop shaking with emotions she was trying to conceal. Happy nearly flew out of her seat when she saw the doctor that had been assigned to Toby.

"Is is going to be okay?" Happy asked. She was trying her hardest to keep her emotions hidden, but the doctor could see the worry in her eyes. The doctor smiled reassuringly and replied.

"His arm was badly broken," the doctor replied, "but we managed to set it and he is getting a cast right now. He also has a concussion, but it is hard to tell how bad it is with his current-" she paused and cleared her throat uncomfortably, "-_intoxicated_ state. We would like to keep him overnight just to make sure there was no severe damage."

Happy sighed and nodded. Cool relief swept through her veins and she visibly relaxed.

"Can I see him?" she asked the doctor.

"He was asking for you," the doctor answered with a chuckle, "He seemed very... desperate."

Happy allowed a small grin to form on her lips as she imagined the drunken shrink's current behavior. The doctor gestured for her to follow to what she assumed was Toby's room.

"So how long have you too been married?"

The question caught Happy off guard. Sure, she was used to being told that she and Toby act like a married couple, but no one had ever asked her a question like this one.

"Ummm," she replied, "We aren't married. We just started dating four months ago."

"Oh!" the doctor exclaimed, "I'm sorry! I sometimes get carried away is all."

Happy turned a confused face to the doctor.

"What do you mean carried away?" she pondered.

"I've been an ER doctor for years," the doctor replied, "I can tell the difference between a worried girlfriend and a worried wife. Almost always, it seems that a wife's emotions are more _geniune,_ as if the pain hurts more. Sure, girlfriends get worried, but the bond between a husband and wife is just so strong. It almost seems like one is lost without the other."

Happy's brow furrowed in thought. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind, processing what the doctor had just told her. _Do I really seem lost without Toby?_ she thought, _Does he seem lost without _me_?_

When they finally stopped in front Toby's hospital room, the doctor laid a hand on Happy's shoulder. Her instinct was to pull away from the touch, but she was so lost in her thoughts, she barely even noticed the kind doctor's hand on her shoulder.

"It's probably not my place," the doctor continued, "But you two seem like the 'real deal'. My only advice is to not let the opportunity pass you up. Love him and let him love you."

The doctor pulled down on the handle to open the door. The sound snapped Happy out of her thoughts. Her eyes locked with the doctor's one last time before she nodded in appreciation and entered the room.

When Happy entered the room, she held back laugh of relief. Toby sat on his hospital bed with a lime green cast wrapped from his shoulder to the beginning of his fingers. He was staring at the wall in a drunken daze and his ever-present hat was perched on his head. He turned his head towards the door at the sound of Happy's footsteps and his eyes turned bright upon seeing her.

"Happy," he slurred, "Thank goodness you're here."

He patted the bed beside him with his good arm and shifted to the edge of the bed. The movement required him shifting some weight onto his bad arm and he winced from the pain. With a soft gasp, Happy rushed to Toby's side and put a hand on his good shoulder. She helped him finish moving over and then carefully settled herself down beside him. All she wanted to do was curl in against Toby, tell him he was an idiot, and cry out the stress onto his shoulder. However, she refused to relax. Toby needed to know he messed up... badly. She sat as far from him as possible and kept her posture stiff and angry. Even in his disheveled state, Toby could instantly tell Happy was upset with him. He knew step one to solving the problem was to lighten up the mood.

"You know," Toby said, putting his good arm around Happy's tense shoulders, "I tried to get a hot pink cast, but they told me that it 'wasn't proper for a professional job'." Toby burst out laughing at his own joke, but Happy did not give into his poor attempt at humor. Her steely gaze continued burning holes into the wall.

"Why," she whispered, "why did you do this to us?"

Toby fell silent. Of course he remembered the promise he had made to the team years ago, but yesterday's case had gone just a step too far for the unstable shrink.

"It wasn't intentional," Toby explained. Happy turned and looked at him with a gaze as sharp as glass. He recoiled and looked at the wall as before continuing.

"After the suicide bomber case yesterday, I just needed some relief from my thoughts, so I went down to a bar to have a beer and watch some football. I made the bartender promise to only serve me one drink, and he was sincere about it."

"But you couldn't resist just one more drink and before you knew it, you were being beaten up at the poker tables," Happy finished for him, voice tense with anger.

"_But_," Toby interjected with annoyance, "an old buddy came by and tried to convince me to go gambling with him. I told him no, said I had a promise to keep. But while I was gone at the bathroom, he must have slipped a few extra shots into my beer. By the time I noticed, I was too far gone. I followed him to the warehouse, laid out my latest paycheck, and let everything I had been working on crash down around me." Toby paused. I was his turn to burn holes in the wall out of anger from Happy's lack of faith in him.

Happy didn't know what to say. She was so set on the idea that Toby had been an idiot and broke his promise that she didn't even consider that the accident hadn't been his fault. With a lack of words, she slowly leaned over and put her head on his unbroken shoulder. Toby turned to look into her eyes and his gaze softened when he saw nothing but pure worry threatening to spill over in the form of tears. He let himself relax into her touch.

"You could have died," Happy whispered, "You should have come to us." Toby sighed and let his head fall atop her's.

"I know," he whispered in reply, "But I just wanted to be alone."

"I get that," Happy replied, "But you don't have to be alone when you're alone."

Their eyes met and they donned matching grins. Toby took the moment to lean down and press a soft, reassuring and apologetic kiss on her lips. Her reply told Toby she had forgiven him. Their kiss deepened and they fell into the bliss of the moment. Neither of them noticed the hospital door opening. What they did notice, however, was the yelp of surprise that Sylvester let out at the sight of his two best friends making out.

The couple immediately broke apart. They both were making a big deal to not show off their relationship to the rest of the cyclone. Sure, they knew that Happy and Toby had been dating for the past few months, but they had never witnessed any PDA. Faces red with embarrassment, both Happy and Toby attempted to fly off of the bed. Happy made it out successfully, but Toby's attempt at escape sent a shot of pain through his broken arm. He yelped in pain and quickly settled back into his original position.

"I... ugh..." Sylvester tried to formulate words, "Am I... interrupting something?"

"Yes!" Happy and Toby replied in unison, their red faces growing brighter.

* * *

The next morning, Happy woke up in the chair next to Toby's bed. The rest of the team left quickly after visiting and making sure Toby's injuries were not life threatening. Toby was released from the hospital with a minor concussion, and Happy was left to nurse him. It was interesting, since he was working off a concussion and a hangover.

But she couldn't have cared less.

* * *

**I didn't do as much with the whole "interrupted" thing for this one. This chapter was just a filler because I didn't want to rush to the next one. Here is your next teaser.**

**Happy and Toby finally decide to move in together, but, of course, something has to go wrong.**

**Stay tuned!**


	3. Almost Home

**Hi, everyone!**

**Sorry about the long wait on this chapter. Monday's episode stunned the Quintis writing juices, but I am feeling better now.**

**Quick shout-out to aelickm aka dreamlily123! Thanks for letting me use your idea! I hope you are enjoying it so far!**

**My headcanon for this one-shot is that Happy lives in an apartment away from the garage. Toby lives in the small mobile home at the garage (where the whiteboard scene happened). I noticed that while Happy packs up her things and leaves after each episode, Toby doesn't and typically spends his time at his desk or by the mobile home. Plus, his apartment looks pretty small in "Crossroads".**

**So, here it goes!**

* * *

Happy winced as she pulled a piece of hair off of a wad of sticky packing tape. Being a mechanical engineer, machines usually came easily to her, but the troublesome packing tape roller was still able to elude her. Sighing, she slapped a label on the last box and carried it out to the van.

After dating for a little over a year, Toby had been spending most of his nights at Happy's apartment. Happy had her own place about fifteen minutes away from the Scorpion Headquarters, but Toby had been living in the mobile home in the garage since he started working at Scorpion. Living in the garage had its ups and downs, so Toby enjoyed having some time away from the office. Plus, he got to spend twelve extra hours with his favorite mechanical engineer (which was a big thumb up). Toby had even inherited his own drawer in Happy's bedroom to keep a few last-minute changes of clothes and necessities. His toothbrush resided in her bathroom. After months of this strange 'living arrangement', Happy determined that it would be a lot more efficient for Toby to move in with her. She offered him the space at her apartment as long as he helped her pay the rent. Of course, Toby immediately said yes, and they began packing up his things two days later.

As Happy approached the van, she saw Toby and Ralph lifting a particularly heavy box of medical journals into the trunk. She approached them from behind and slid the final box in beside theirs.

"That's the last one," Happy said. Toby and Happy grinned at each other while slamming the back doors of the team van together. Toby snapped his gaze away from Happy and turned to Ralph.

"I guess this is it, Ralph," Toby said in mock disappointment, "The camper is all yours."

A large grin split across Ralph's face as Toby handed him the key to the small mobile home. As soon as Ralph heard that Toby was moving out of the garage, he began begging the psychiatrist to let him use the mobile home for experiments. Toby knew that the space was more than just a space for experiments. He knew that the 13-year-old Ralph would enjoy having some space of his own in the garage. Paige agreed to the idea at once, enjoying the idea that Ralph would have some space to call his own. Ralph turned around and darted back into the garage, shouting a quick 'thank you' over his shoulder. Toby chuckled.

"I can never spend enough time with that kid," Toby said, "Earlier, he was explaining the different properties of chemical substances to me, and the next minute we were talking about that girl he likes."

"You mean Sloan?"

"Yes!" Toby laughed once more, "He's like a cute little kid with the one of the smartest minds I've ever met. Priceless!"

Happy chuckled and made her way to the drivers seat of the van. They both opened their doors and took their seats next to each other. As Happy put the key into the ignition, she turned to Toby.

"I'm starved," she complained, "Let's stop at the diner before unpacking all of this stuff."

"Sounds like a plan," Toby replied, turning up the volume on the radio. Happy put the car in reverse and pulled out of her parking space before speeding off towards the diner around the corner.

The ride to the restaurant was mostly filled with aimless chitchat and eccentric lip-syncing to songs on the radio. Toby was "performing" _Hit Me Baby, One More Time_ when they pulled into the small parking lot. Relieved, Happy turned off the car, killing the radio.

"Come on, Doc," she said with a smile. They entered the diner laughing.

After an hour of jokes, conversation, burgers and fries, and a few stolen kisses, Happy and Toby paid their bill and left the diner. As they were walking towards the van, they stopped in their tracks.

"Where did we park again?" Toby asked Happy. She pointed forward to the empty spot in front of them. The couple exchanged a look that only meant one thing.

_Crap._

"I'm going to get the security footage," Happy ordered, snapping into gear, "Call Walter and see if he can get GPS location or access to street cameras."

Toby sighed.

"Looks like we're not going home anytime soon."

"Yeah. We were almost home," Happy replied with a smirk before racing into the diner once again.

After arguing with the owner for a few minutes, Happy finally convinced the man to let her see the video footage. She quickly got access to the correct time and was able to find the culprits.

"Looks like they bypassed the security efforts I had in place and then hot-wired the car," Happy sighed. The bell on the door chimed loudly as Toby raced in.

"Walter wasn't able to get into the car's GPS system," he said hurriedly, "Something that they did to get into the car broke it. But he did get into the local street cameras and is scanning license plates."

"Tell him to narrow the search area to about ten minutes and forty seconds away," Happy muttered.

Sensing her disappointment, Toby inched closer to Happy and put his arm around her shoulders. He led her over to an open booth.

"I know you're upset about them breaking through your security," he whispered, "But don't be hard on yourself, they just got lucky."

"There's no such thing as luck," Happy replied bluntly, "But there is such thing as a hammer. They probably ruined all of my work on the special locks and alarms."

"Well, you'll just have another project on your hands," Toby replied. Happy just smiled and put her head on his shoulder, thinking about all of the work she would have to do to repair to van's security system. They sat there for a few moments but were interrupted by Toby's phone buzzing. He reached into his pocket and read the message.

"Walter says that they located the van and LAPD are in pursuit," he smirked, "It looks like I'll be reunited with my Michael Jackson CDs soon."

"Our van that is filled with high-tech computers and technology has been stolen and you are worried about your CD collection?" Happy complained.

"Of course!" Toby replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "There are three things I love in this world: MJ, my hat, and you."

Happy felt a blush rising into her cheeks, but she pushed it down by slapping the shrink in the arm.

"I love you, too, idiot."

At that moment, Paige's familiar red car pulled up in front of the diner. Happy and Toby rushed out to meet her, eager to be reunited with their laptops and music albums.

* * *

They managed to locate and commandeer the van in less than 10 minutes ("Nine minutes and twenty-two seconds!" Sylvester exclaimed with pride). As soon as they regained possession of the vehicle and the robbers were in custody, Happy and Toby drove to their apartment. Upon arrival, they each grabbed a box and made their way up the flight of stairs that led to Happy's two-bedroom apartment. After setting down their boxes, Toby made his way down the stairs for another load. But Happy remained behind, and, using her pocket knife, she cut open the tape binding the box she had just carried up the stairs. Smiling, she took the simply framed picture out of its protective layer of newspaper. She went to the cabinet in her hallway and returned with a hammer and a nail. Swiftly, she drove the nail into the wall and stuck the frame onto its end. Stepping back, she admired her work.

Toby entered the apartment. His arms were laden with another heavy box. He was curious when he saw Happy standing and staring at a single picture on the wall. After setting his box down on the coffee table, he walked over to Happy and hugged her from behind. He followed her gaze to meet the photo and recognized it at once.

Paige had taken it over a year ago at Ralph's twelfth birthday party. She caught the couple laughing at each other, cake smeared all over their faces. He vividly remembered the moment, but neither of them knew she was taking a photo until she handed them each a copy the next day. He had immediately framed the photo and kept it hanging in his previous living space. Happy had folded it up and kept it tucked away in her purse for when she needed a boost. The photo meant a lot to both of them. It was one of the first times that they had truly felt at home since they were young children. Happy held her hands up, fingers forming a rectangle that encircled the perimeter of the photo.

"I'd say that this is 'almost-home'," Happy commented, leaning back into Toby's embrace.

"Are you kidding me?" Toby exclaimed, "We are home!"

* * *

**That one was not as good as I was hoping it would be, but I hope it filled the void. There hasn't been much Quintis fanfiction going around lately, so I though y'all might like this.**

**Here is the title for the next one shot...**

**'Almost Yours'**

**Stay tuned!**


	4. Almost Yours

**OMG, this chapter is over 2,500 words without ANs! I had so much fun writing it, so I hope you enjoy reading it. This probably turned out to be one of my favorite chapters, so I hope you like it too!**

**PS, I know absolutely nothing about chemistry, so if there are any inaccuracies, don't make fun of me...**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

As Toby entered the garage, he was met with the crazy hubbub of a morning at the Scorpion headquarters. The clicking of chalk bounced off of the walls as Sylvester worked on an early morning equation, and he could hear the loud whir of power tools from Happy's station. This morning, he woke up to her empty pillow next to him and a note reading "_At the garage. Must finish the motorbike. Happy X". _The smell of eggs and pancakes reminded him that Ralph had the day off school today, so he and Paige arrived early to make the geniuses a real breakfast. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee (and cinnamon) made Toby's mouth drool. He smiled fondly and poured himself a mug before going to his desk.

Toby had been dating Happy for two and a half years. They had been living together for a year, and it was going incredibly well. After years of patience and work in building their relationship, Toby felt it was time to move their relationship to the next level.

After having a few conversations with Happy about the future, he asked Paige for advice. She told him to follow his instincts, so he went out and bought a ring. He knew that a flashy diamond or gemstone was not Happy's style, so he narrowed his search to a simple band. After weeks of searching for the perfect one, he finally found a beautiful ring from a local metal artist. It was made by weaving and soldering together thin strings of copper and bronze to create an intricate and stunning pattern. The artist reassured him that it could withstand day-to-day wear, so Happy could wear it on jobs or while doing projects. He knew it would be perfect for her.

Of course, Toby was scared. Happy already had issues opening up to people, and he didn't know how she would react to being proposed to. But he decided it was a risk he was willing to take, and today was the day he would take it. In order to keep from her being tipped off about his plan, he slipped the ring into a drawer in his desk, covering it with a few loose papers. He steadied his nerves and went into the kitchen to get a bite to eat.

"Hey, bud," Toby said to Ralph as he walked into the kitchen. He grabbed a pancake off of the stack Paige prepared and took a large bite. At that moment, Paige entered the kitchen.

"Use a plate and fork," she demanded, "We aren't animals."

"Actually," Toby countered, grabbing a plate out of a cabinet, "We evolved from apes."

"The key word there is evolved," Happy replied, coming into the kitchen. She smiled at Toby in greeting and he grinned back. She pecked him on the lips before taking a few pancakes and heading back to her station.

"Wash your hands before you eat that!" Sylvester called to Happy from across the room, "Motor oil is bad for your digestive system." Happy waved to Sylvester in acknowledgment.

Grinning slyly, Paige turned to Toby.

"So," she began slowly, "Today is the big day?"

Toby shoved a quick bite of pancake in his mouth and shoveled some eggs on his plate to avoid the conversation.

"Don't talk about it," he replied through half chewed breakfast food.

"Well," Paige whispered encouragingly, "Don't be nervous. She is going to love it."

"I know. I'll either end up with a wrench in my head or a really happy night," Toby replied, raising his eyebrows in a smirk.

"Ew," Ralph said quietly before turning back to his half-eaten stack of pancakes. Toby chuckled and ruffled the teenager's hair lightly before heading back to his desk. He distracted himself with case reports, trying to keep from showing his obvious worry.

The phone rang in the distance. Toby heard Walter pick it up and exchange a few rushed words with the person on the other end. After hanging up the phone, Walter came running down the stairs with his laptop.

"We have an urgent mission," he stated quickly, grabbing another mug of coffee while the rest of the team started getting their tools together, "We need to get there fast, so I'll explain on the way. Ralph, I assume you will be fine here by yourself. Don't use any of Happy's tools while we are gone."

The young genius nodded. "Will I still be able to stay the night tonight?"

"Probably," Walter said, "But remember that we are going to see Megan this evening after dinner."

Walter turned and made eye contact with the shrink. They had spoken earlier in the week about Toby's plan for the proposal, and Walter promised that he would make sure the garage was empty for a few hours so that he and Happy could have some privacy. Toby nodded his head slightly to show that he received the hidden message.

As they continued to pack, Toby put his hat on his desk and checked the drawer once again for the ring. He contemplated bringing the it with him just in case he needed to use it earlier than planned. Working with Scorpion had its risks, and he never knew if he would make it home every night. He decided not to deviate from his plan and left the copper band safely nestled in its box between a few case reports. He straightened up and grabbed his jacket and messenger bag before making his way out of the garage behind Happy and the others.

* * *

_Well, today is going to be uneventful,_ Ralph thought with a sigh. He put his plate, caked with syrup, in the sink with soap and running water. He scrubbed it gently, enjoying the feel of the warm water over his hands. He rinsed and dried the dishes before heading over to his desk. On the way, he picked up Sylvester's half-solved Rubik's cube and finished it in a few swift twists.

Just like Sylvester, he found that having something to occupy his mind made him feel calm, so he loved Rubik's cubes and brain teasers. Even though he was around geniuses for most of his young life, he was still developing his intellect and interests. Recently, the team noticed his aptitude for chemistry. He quickly mastered the lab set that the team originally got for him, so he moved on to high school level textbooks and labs. After quickly completing that course material, the team managed to get some college level textbooks for his studies. Today, he was working in a new textbook for Analytical Chemistry.

Ralph grabbed his textbook and immediately got to work. The next lesson in his book required him to find the chemical properties of copper. The activity called for a combination of the two metals and some common chemicals. He went into his storage containers and got out the needed chemicals before looking for some copper. He checked Happy's desk first, but he couldn't find the exact type of metal that his textbook called for. So he made his way over to Toby's desk. Toby always let Ralph use anything that he needed (a piece of 100% cotton, a paperclip, various types of paper), so chances were that Toby would not be concerned if Ralph slipped away something that he had.

First, Ralph checked his desk, but could not find what he needed. He the shuffled through his waste basket but didn't find anything. So, he opened one of Toby's drawers, shuffling through the mess of case files until he found a small velvet box. He cracked it open, grinning when he saw exactly what he needed. Sitting in the small box was a ring, made of copper and other metals. Ralph snatched the ring and dashed to his workstation, eager to get started.

* * *

It was dinnertime when the team finished their case, so they ordered some take-out and went back to the garage. Upon arrival, Toby practically ran to his desk, dropping his bag and jacket onto his desk. He had managed to keep his nervous tension quiet for the entire day, but once the adrenaline from the case wore off, he started to get antsy again.

He dipped his hand into his drawer, carefully pulling away the pile of case files before he came upon the small square box. Smiling as if trying to encourage himself, he picked up the box and put it in his pocket. He then took grabbed food and joined the rest of the team, who had gathered in the kitchen to finish their meals.

"Hey, Ralph," Toby said, taking a seat next to the teenager, "How was your day?"

"Pretty cool," Ralph replied, "I got through chapter four of my textbook. It involved the chemical properties of copper."

"Sounds pretty interesting," Toby replied, taking a large bite of orange chicken. Happy plopped down next to the shrink. Their hands linked under the table as they ate and talked with the team.

After an hour of joking around, Paige got up and collected her things.

"Well, I'd better be getting home," she said, "Ralph, don't get in trouble, brush your teeth, and be in bed by eleven, alright?"

"Okay, mom," he replied, not looking up from the equation that Sylvester had given him to solve. Paige gave him a quick kiss on the forehead before heading out to her car. On her way out, she caught Toby's eye and gave him an encouraging look.

"We'd better get going, too," Walter said as soon as Paige left, "I promised Megan we would bring her some McDonald's. Sylvester, Ralph, are you coming?"

"Yep," said Sylvester and Ralph in unison. They erased the chalkboard and grabbed their things before rushing out of the garage. Only Toby and Happy were left behind.

"So," Toby began, "I guess it's just you and I."

Happy and Toby shared a smirk before leaning in for a deep kiss- the kind that they only shared in private. Toby immediately deepened the kiss, and Happy replied eagerly. They drank each other in for a few more moments before Toby broke away. Happy groaned in discontent.

"Happy," Toby slurred, still dazed and out of breath from their kiss, "There's something I need to talk to you about."

"Huh?" Happy grunted, pulling away from the doctor in surprise. Her face displayed confusion and hurt. "If you are breaking up with me, the next place anyone is going to see you is in a coffin."

Toby laughed and stood up, leading the curious Happy through the garage until they stood underneath the brightly lit Scorpion sign. He took her hands in his and looked into her confused eyes. He loved how they glimmered in the dim lighting of the darkened garage, yellow sparkling in her pupils from the sign directly above her.

"Um, Toby?" she asked.

"Shhh," he hushed, willing himself to relax. He took a deep breath and began.

"When I first joined Scorpion, I was a mess. I dealt with a lot of crap in my childhood, and I was letting myself waste away. I got into a marriage that wasn't love and gambled away my paychecks. I was in the dumps."

Toby paused, swallowing down the lump forming in his throat.

"Then I met you, and I knew from the moment that I saw you that we had something special. We became friends- _best_ friends. I flirted with you, you kissed me. I stood you up, you were mad and then forgave me. The rest was history."

Happy and Toby both smiled fondly at the memories. There was a brief pause.

"This past year has been the greatest year of my life," Toby continued, "Starting and ending my days with you is like a dream come true. I am so in love with you, Happy."

Toby paused and took a deep breath. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring box, lowering himself down on one knee.

"Now, I know this is incredibly cheesy," he continued," but I want to spend the rest of my life- the good and the bad- waking up next to you. I want us to support and be there for each other. I know you think that tools don't let you down and people do, but I'm the biggest tool in all of Los Angeles."

Happy giggled, trying to keep tears from spilling over. A bright smile lit up her face.

"So, Happy Quinn, will you make me the _happiest_ man alive and marry me?"

Toby cracked open the small velvet case to reveal the ring. He looked into Happy's eyes, waiting for a reply, but was taken aback when the smile faded from Happy's face.

"Toby," Happy whispered, "Is this some kind of joke?"

Toby's eyes widened, "No, what makes you think tha..."

His words trailed off as he took a peek into the box. He felt his throat close up as he realized that the ring wasn't there. His breathing became shallow and he felt panic set in.

"What the hell?!" he shouted, jumping up from his knees, "Where...what...who...how could it be missing?" He ran around the garage, frantically searching for the ring.

"Did it fall out of the box and into your pocket?" Happy suggested, crouching down to help in the search. Toby thrust his hands into his pockets but only discovered some dryer lint.

"It couldn't have fallen anywhere," Toby speculated, "I left it in my desk drawer beneath some papers. I even checked to make it was still in the box before leaving for our case this morning."

"Well, it didn't grow legs and walk away," Happy countered, "So someone stole it."

"How could somebody have stolen it?" Toby questioned in exasperation, "Ferret Bueller the Second is with Megan for the week and Ralph was the only one here-"

Toby could practically feel the light bulb going off in his head. Without another word, he jumped up and ran towards the back of the garage, where Ralph kept his science equipment.

"Ralph told me," Toby began to explain, "that he finished chapter four of his textbook today and did an experiment involving copper."

"How could he have gotten ahold of copper?" Happy questioned, "I ran out of it last week. I've been meaning to go and get more."

At that moment, both of their gazes fell on Ralph's desk. Sitting on a tray next to a pair of wire cutters was the ring. Well, half of the ring. The talisman had been carefully dissected into multiple pieces and organized by types of metal. Toby could only guess where the rest of the ring was. He swept his hand across his face and felt his heart sink.

"Happy, I am so sorry," he began, "I should have put it somewhere else-"

Happy cut him off with a quick kiss on the lips.

"I don't need a ring," she giggled, "the answer is yes."

Relief swept through Toby's veins, and a huge grin split his face. He threw his arms around Happy's tiny frame and pulled her in for a deep kiss. They laughed into the kiss, smiling about what the future would bring. Toby whispered in Happy's ear.

"You know," he whispered, "That ring was _almost_ yours."

Happy laughed and brought him back into the kiss. He happily obliged.

* * *

The next day, Ralph received a stern lecture from Paige about going through other people's things without their permission. He apologized to Happy and Toby for his mistake. Toby reassured he and Paige that there was nothing to worry about. He was too elated to care. After taking the not-dissolved half of the ring to the original artist, he was able to find a similar copy of the ring and bought it for a reduced price. He slipped it on Happy's left ring finger that night during dinner. They shared a kiss as the rest of the team cheered, excited that it was official.

_Maybe,_ Toby thought that night as he listened to Happy's soft breathing in the darkness of their bedroom, _just maybe this could be our happily ever after._

* * *

**I hope this helped fill the two week void between Crossroads and Cliffhanger! I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. Here is the title of the next one shot…**

"**Almost Delicious"**

**See ya later!**


	5. Almost Delicious

**Hi everybody!**

**I am so sorry about the wait! I have been so caught up in thoughts about the finale, futurefic was not working for me this week! This one is a relatively long one though, so I hope that makes up for it. Hopefully, there won't be as long of a break between this one and the next one!**

**I won't keep you waiting any longer! Here you go!**

* * *

Happy pinched herself again, and the pain told her this was not a dream.

Everything had changed, and Happy still couldn't believe it. Just seven short years ago, she was a shell, hiding behind her armor, refusing to open up to anyone out of fear. Six years ago, Walter took her under his wing and gave her a job. A year later, she met the shrink that quickly became her best friend. A year after that, she kissed her best friend, and, after another year, they started dating. After two and half years of dating, they were engaged and living together. And today, they promised to be there for each other forever.

Okay, maybe it wasn't that cliche. Happy and Toby's relationship was anything but traditional. They had been married on a Thursday evening because it was the only night their father could close the auto body shop. Crime rarely took the weekend off, so Toby and Happy grabbed the chance while they could. They both weren't religious, so they agreed to have the "ceremony" at the garage. It was a quick service, only including and exchanging of vows and rings, signing of paperwork, and, of course, a kiss. Only their closest friends and Happy's father were there. Toby invited a few family friends from his childhood, and Happy invited a few old friends and some of her more enjoyable foster parents. Only a few were able to make it. This left two of Toby's old neighbors from where he lived when he was young, one friend of Happy's from high school, and a nice older couple that Happy lived with until she aged out of the foster care system.

Paige had finally convinced Happy to clean up a little bit for the ceremony, but she refused to buy a fancy white dress for what would be a 20-minute long service. So she and Paige went out for a day and found a stunning, yet modest and reasonably priced cream white dress that Happy secretly adored. She topped off her wedding day outfit with combat boots. Paige helped her do her hair and makeup- even though she ended up looking no different than she did every other day. Toby wore a long sleeve button down shirt and a black tie he borrowed from Walter with a pair of sleek jeans and converse sneakers. On his head was the ever-present fedora.

Happy Quinn was led down the aisle by her father. Walter reluctantly stood beside Toby, not understanding the meaning of his title of "best man", but still proud to be there for one of his closest friends. Ralph trained Ferret Bueller the Second to carry the rings down the aisle, and Cabe used his power as a government official to witness the signing of the paperwork and help in exchanging the vows. When Cabe said, "You may kiss the bride," Toby and Happy's lips met sweetly, both smiling into the kiss. Everyone clapped, Paige was crying, and Happy swore she heard Megan mutter, "Finally!" from her seat next to her husband, Sylvester. When they drew apart, they looked into each other's eyes, beaming with excitement, and Happy felt like everything had clicked.

_Maslow says it best_, she thought. Everyone- every single person- has a hierarchy of needs: physiological needs, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization. Under the safety net of the government's foster care system, she rarely had to worry about not having food and water to eat. But Happy never truly felt safe when she was with most of her foster homes. It wasn't until she joined Team Scorpion that she really began to feel safe and at home. Esteem had been hard to come by. She went many years believing she had no more worth than a piece of trash. She was left alone again and again and she couldn't figure out why. It wasn't until she met Toby that her self-esteem was able to increase. He always made sure she knew she was amazing and wanted.

And then there was love- the one thing Happy was terrified of. Happy had loved other people before. She loved her father, even though she never knew who he was. She loved a few of her foster families before she grew up and became street smart. But Happy had never felt the feeling of being loved back, or being in love. Toby was the first person to go out of his way to make her feel like she was the center of his universe. He didn't treat her well because of her physique or what she could do for him, but because he truly and utterly loved her. Happy didn't understand this feeling at first. She had never experienced the strong and binding power of true love. She pulled away from it out of fear, knowing that as soon as she got attached to something, it would leave her. But Toby never left, and Happy knew he never would. She dove in, she took the risk. But it wasn't until this moment, seeing the same joy that she felt in her heart glistening in Toby's eyes, that she truly understood what it felt to be loved, and that meant more to her than anything.

After vows and rings were exchanged, the party was moved to the roof of the Scorpion headquarters. Sylvester and Ralph had spent the morning and afternoon setting up the balcony for a small 'reception' for their friends. It was just as unconventional as the ceremony, with hamburgers, BBQ sides, soda pop, and beer for their meal. Soft music played in the background from the stereo Cabe put together, and the atmosphere was very relaxed. To any other person, the reception probably seemed more like a neighborly cook-out rather than an after party for a wedding. But there was one element that set the get together apart from everyday cook-outs. Off to the side, a few feet away from the grill and other food, was a gigantic wedding cake. If there was one thing that Happy and Toby liked about weddings, it was the cake. A wedding without a fancy cake with all the bells and whistles was just not acceptable, so they splurged the extra money and got a cake from their favorite bakery down the road. Everything was perfect.

_Too_ perfect.

Happy understood all too well that something was going to happen during the reception. Everything was moving much too smoothly for Happy and Toby. Over the course of their relationship, they had gotten used to the fact that nothing was ever perfect with the two of them. Something had to go wrong eventually.

"Happy," Toby whispered in her ear. Happy was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear his words. He tried again.

"Happy!" he said in her face, slightly raising his voice. Happy was brought back to the present by Toby's hand waving in front of her face. She blinked and turned towards her husband.

"What's going on in that beautiful mind?" Toby asked, taking his seat next to his new wife. He took a big bite from his burger and looked her in the eyes.

"Everything is going well," Happy muttered, taking a bite of cole slaw. Toby grinned and spoke through bites of half-chewed meat and bread.

"And what's the problem with that?"

"It's too perfect" Happy replied. There was a feeling in her gut that told her that things were about to go south. "Things never go perfect with us."

Toby's eyebrows furrowed as he caught on to what Happy was saying. He put an arm around her shoulders to help her relax.

"Don't worry about it," Toby said, "Even if something bad happens I will always love you."

"And I will always love you, too," Happy replied. The smiled at each other and leaned in for a soft and sweet kiss. They broke apart as Ralph ran up to them.

"Uncle Toby, Aunt Happy!" he shouted, jumping in between the newlyweds.

"Hey, buddy," Toby replied, ruffling the teenager's hair, "Have you had enough to eat?"

"Of course not!" Ralph laughed, "I still haven't had cake!"

"You've had three hamburgers," Happy started, "and you are concerned about cake?"

"Lay off him, will you?" Toby laughed, "He's a growing boy. I think it's about time for cake anyways."

"Wait!" Ralph interjected, raising his voice, "I have a surprise for you guys first."

Toby and Happy looked at each other with a question in their eyes. Neither of them knew that Ralph had been planning something for them. Toby nodded and picked up a knife and his beer bottle. Smirking up at Ralph, he tapped the side of the knife against the dark glass, causing a hush to fall across the rooftop. Ralph gulped loudly as Toby gestured for him to speak. Happy knew that Ralph was not a fantastic public speaker, so this was the perfect opportunity for him to improve.

"Ummm," Ralph started, unsure of what to say, "Hi." The small party looked at him encouragingly and Happy shot him a wink that he saw out of the corner of his eye.

"Well," Ralph began, stuttering as he spoke, "When I was nine, Toby and Happy helped me with my first crush on Valentines Day. I thought that, in fair exchange for the fact that they helped me using fireworks, it would be a smart idea to return the favor. On that note, Walter and Sylvester helped me make some fireworks for you!"

Happy cracked up laughing, touched by the young genius' enthusiasm. She could still remember that night vividly, not just because they had helped Ralph, but because that night was the first night she and Toby almost kissed. Toby bit back a chuckle and patted the boy on the shoulder. Walter came up behind them, holding a small lighter in his hand. He smiled and handed it Ralph.

"He made most of it by himself," Walter said with pride, "The chemistry behind it was basic for him. We just made sure it was safe."

Toby threw his hands in the air, face alight.

"Let's see it then!" he shouted and pointed at Ralph.

Grinning, Ralph lit the lighter and held it up to the wick. It sparked and everyone looked towards the sky, ready for a show. After a few moments of excited silence, the first ball of fire flew from its home. It soared up into the sky, leaving behind a bright blue tail. When it reached the heights, it exploded into a flurry of blue, green, and white with a loud boom. Every gasped in delight and kept their eyes glued to the sky. Several more streams of fire followed, exploding in bursts of color and noise, lighting up the night sky. Toby's hand found Happy's underneath the table and their fingers intertwined, eyes never leaving the spectacle.

After a minute of beautiful fireworks, one shot spread a message across the sky.

For Toby and Happy, it read. A second message exploded as soon as the first faded away.

Love Raplh.

Happy and Toby laughed together, turning towards the teenage boy and clapping. But Ralph's face didn't return their joy. He was looking at his firework mechanism in confusion.

"There were only nine blasts," Ralph muttered under breath, "There were only nine, but there were supposed to be ten."

The smile faded from Happy's face. She quickly played the scene back in her mind and, just as Ralph suspected, she only counted nine blasts. She grabbed Toby and Ralph's hands and pulled them away from the explosives. Sensing the danger, the rest of the party-goers did the same.

All of a sudden, a bright orb lit and shot in the opposite direction of Toby, Happy, and the other visitors. Yellow light and smoke filled the roof and Happy felt something wet and sticky hit her cheek. She reached up and wiped the smear off of her face. Upon feeling the consistency of the substance, she stuck her finger in her mouth for a taste. _Frosting?_

As the smoke began to fade away, Happy could make out the figures of several people getting up and moving around. She looked to her sides, and, after seeing both Ralph and Toby unharmed and getting back on their feet, she yelled out.

"Is anyone hurt?" she shouted, breaking away from her husband and nephew, "Does anyone need hel…"

Happy's voice faded off as the smoke finally settled. She did a quick head count and found everyone safe and accounted for. Then she realized what was not safe and accounted for.

"The cake!" Toby wailed, coming up behind her. Happy nearly laughed out loud when she saw the shrink's mournful and frosting covered face. Everyone stood and tentatively made their way to the corner of the roof, stepping around pieces of decimated dessert. The table that had been holding the marvelous treat was in pieces, and the cake was everywhere. Happy felt a huge chunk in her hair.

"Uhhhh…" Ralph muttered under his breath. He picked up one of the larger pieces of cake shrapnel and held it out to Toby. "I'm… sorry?"

Toby burst out laughing, and, before she knew it, Happy and the rest of the guests had joined in. Toby accepted the blob of cake and wrapped Ralph in a hug.

"No one got hurt," Toby said through his laughter, "Well, except for our marvelous cake."

Ralph looked down at his shoes uncomfortably.

"There must have been a mistake in the ratio of carbon to-"

"Oh be quiet!" Happy cut him off. She grabbed the piece of cake out of Toby's hands and took a huge bite out of it. Even though the cake had just been hit by a bomb, it still melted in Happy's mouth, and she sighed in content. She handed the cake to Toby, who also took a bite. Everyone, including Ralph, made their way around the roof, laughing and trying to find the least destroyed pieces of the wedding cake.

"This cake," Happy said, taking Toby's hands in her own, "Was almost delicious."

"Really?" Toby replied. He pecked her on the nose, licking off a small piece of frosting. "Because I think this could not have been any more delicious."

* * *

**How was it? I think this one turned out pretty well, but it may have been better in my mind than yours, so send me your feedback! As of right now, I am still conflicted about what the theme of the next chapter should be. I don't know whether to jump ahead or have a filler. As of right now, here is the title of the next one-shot, but this may change.**

**"We Almost Knew!"**

**Thanks and stay tuned!**


	6. We Almost Knew!

**Hey, cyclone!**

**I am so sorry about the SUPER long delay with this chapter. This one was already hard to write because it is just a filler and we are on summer hiatus. Then I got really sick and was in unable to write for a few weeks. After that, more stuff kept piling up that had to take my first priority, but I am glad to get this chapter out there now. Thanks to everyone who came back, I hope this chapter is at least somewhat fulfilling. Hopefully, there won't be as long of a gap between this chapter and the next one!**

**This may be slightly out-of-character, but I am predicting that by the time something like this actually happens in the show, Happy and Toby will have changed a lot. This is how I imagine them being years from the beginning of the show.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Scorpion.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

It wasn't until after the test had been taken and she was waiting on the couch with Paige that the panic truly started to set in.

Paige was the first to notice the change. She was a very perceptive person anyways, but being a mother, she could see the signs. The first thing that set her off was Happy's slight change in attitude. She had always had a short temper, but instead of going through bursts of anger, she started going through fits of sadness and depression. Then the physical signs started- the lack of feminine supplies in the waste basket around Happy's time of the month and the presence of sweet and salty snacks hidden in the corner of her desk.

Walter, surprisingly, was the next to become suspicious. Happy had been with the team longer than any of the other members, so he knew her day-to-day routines like the back of his hand. Upon noticing something was off, he confided in his fiancee, Paige, who let him in on her speculation. He then told Cabe, who said that he knew it would have to happen eventually. Sylvester even mentioned something to Megan about Happy's strange behaviors.

Surprisingly, the only person who was oblivious to what was going on was Toby. Even though he was the team's psychiatrist, he had never been able to completely deduce Happy. They had been married and living together for almost two years, and Toby was still daft enough to not see what was going on.

The only reason Happy picked up on her situation was from the looks that the rest of the team, especially Paige, had been giving her. She put the pieces together a week and a half after she missed her period. Paige caught her staring at her desk, eyebrows furrowed, and panic settling in her eyes. The pieces of the puzzle had fallen into place- missed periods, craving, hormonal mood swings- she met all of the "side effects" of being an expectant mother. So Paige coaxed her friend to leave work early, and they drove together to Happy's apartment to take the test Paige had picked up the day prior at the pharmacy.

The tense minutes that it took for the test to run were spent in silence. Paige sat back in one of Happy's comfortable chairs and watched the news. Happy sat on the edge of her sofa, eyes fixed on the wall, back straight and rigid. She was still aside from her left leg, which was bouncing in tension. She kept her mind occupied by reciting her favorite elements of the periodic table, but her subconscious would not shut up about the small surprise she may be receiving in nine short months. She flew out of her seat when the timer sounded and ran towards the bathroom.

"Wait!" Paige called as she got up from her chair, "Would it make it any easier if I looked at it first?"

Happy paused for a beat, thinking Paige's idea over. A second later, she came to a conclusion.

"No," she replied, "I'm going to have to know one way or another. This is a legitimate health concern and putting off knowing is inefficient and potentially dangerous."

Paige rolled her eyes and nodded, leaning against the wall.

All of a sudden, the apartment door flew open. Toby burst through the door, throwing his messenger bag on the couch, narrowly missing Paige.

"Get outta my way!" Toby bellowed as he darted down the hallway, "I gotta wazz!"

Happy jumped in the way of the bathroom door with a slight shriek of surprise. She gripped the sides of the door frame, creating a protective barrier between Toby and the bathroom. Toby barreled into her. She gasped, trying to barricade him from going into the room.

"No!" she shouted loudly, "You can't go in there ye-"

Happy's voice trailed off as Toby broke past her grip on the doorframe. He slid his hand down on the kitchen sink, and time seemed to slow as Happy saw the slender white stick slide with Toby's hand. It continued in its path and flew off the sink, landing with a plop into the toilet bowl. Paige winced from her spot behind a frozen Happy as Toby relieved himself all over the test. Toby let out a deep sigh as he finished his business.

"Thank goodness," he said, "I've been waiting to do that for two hours! The toilet at the garage is broken and Walter wouldn't let me leave."

"Why didn't you call me?" Happy replied, her instincts momentarily taking her mind off of the problem at hand, "I could have fixed the toilet."

Happy looked up when Toby didn't reply. She was brought back to the present as she saw Toby's eyes fixed towards the bottom of the toilet bowl. One of his hands lay limply on the flusher. Happy grew pale and slowly retreated from the bathroom. Toby saw her move out of the corner of his eye and turned to face Happy, stopping her in her tracks.

"Is that…" Toby's voice trailed off. He didn't know what to say.

"Yes," Happy replied curtly, suddenly very interested in their apartment's carpeting. This was not going the way that she had planned and she was not happy about it.

"Well," Toby said, taking a step backward, his usual sly grin darting across his lips, "Is it yours or Paige's?"

"Whose home are we in, dumbass?" Happy shouted back at the doctor, "We almost knew, and you had to go and ruin it!"

She turned on her heel and made her way back out of the hallway. Toby saw her retreat and grabbed her by the arm to stop her. Sensing that the couple needed some time to process what had happened, Paige turned to leave. When Toby heard the door close, he fixed his eyes on Happy's.

"We need to talk about this," he told her.

Happy looked Toby in the eye, glaring him down and trying to read his expression. She was a mechanic, but she had picked up a few things by marrying a genius shrink. Happy looked straight into his eyes- the windows to the soul. She knew those eyes very well and could see right through them. There was no anger or regret, much to the mechanic's surprise. She only saw worry and excitement, and, if she squinted, a little bit of fear as well.

"You're not angry," Happy whispered under her breath.

"Of course I'm not!" Toby exclaimed, wrapping his arms around his wife's currently flat waist, "We weren't expecting this, but that doesn't mean it doesn't make me happy."

"But…" Happy's voice trailed off. This was a subject she had been terrified of her entire life. Sure, Toby was the person she trusted the most. She trusted him with her life. But she didn't want to hear herself say it. She grabbed Toby's hand and led him to the couch. They sat facing each other, Toby grasping both of her hands in his. Happy looked down at her lap, unable to form words.

"Hey," Toby whispered softly. Using two fingers under her chin, he gently guided her eyes to meet his. "Tell me what's on your mind."

Happy took a deep breath and stopped trying to find a way to sugarcoat her words. She opened her mouth and words came pouring out like a waterfall.

"My mother died in childbirth," Happy said, eyes brimming with tears, "A complete placental abruption. I was born premature, and I shouldn't have made it."

"Happy," Toby started, squeezing her hand, "Don't say-"

"Stop," Happy stated firmly. Toby's mouth snapped shut, but he kept his gaze, urging her to continue. After a pause, she kept speaking.

"My father had to choose between me and her. He chose me, and the guilt was enough to send him over the edge. He gave me away because he could not bare to look at me, let alone raise me."

Heated tears rushed down Happy's cheeks, and Toby felt some tears of his own threatening to spill over. He leaned over and filled the space between them with a strong and comforting hug, which Happy sank into.

"I just don't want that to happen to us," Happy whispered into Toby's now tear-stained jacket. She felt his body stiffen as he pulled back from her. Toby kept a strong grip on her shoulders and looked her in the eye.

"Happy Curtis, you and I both know that we would never let that happen to us," Toby started, speaking firmly, "Yes, you are at a higher risk of experiencing complications during a pregnancy because of your family's history, but that doesn't mean that the risks can't be prevented. If this has happened, we are going into it prepared and ready to fight any obstacles that come our way."

"But what if the baby dies?" Happy practically shouted, "I killed my mother, what if I kill our child?"

Toby jumped up, sudden rage radiating in his eyes. The look on his face was enough to snap Happy out of her tears and strike fear in her chest. He descended on Happy and spoke in a hushed, but furious tone.

"You did not kill your mother, a disease killed your mother. And thank god it did not kill you!"

A tense silence fell between the mechanic and the shrink. Both had angry and worried tears streaming down their faces, but their faces were as hard as stone. Finally, Happy couldn't hold it back anymore. She looked down at her feet, a heart-wrenching sob rattling her body. Toby's eyes immediately softened and he rushed to Happy's side, enveloping her in a gentle hug. He let her cry on his shoulder.

"We are going to get through this together," he spoke softly, "I am going to call Paige and have her pick you up another test so we can know for sure. If it's positive, we will go to the doctor and talk about what we can do to lower our risks, okay?"

Toby waited until he felt a tiny nod against his chest before reaching for his phone and sending a quick text to Paige. Then he sat back and took some deep breaths, preparing himself for what was to come.

* * *

It wasn't until after the test was taken and they were waiting on the couch that the panic began to subside.

They sat in silence, her leaning against his chest, him rubbing comforting circles on the top of her hand. Minutes later, the kitchen timer rang. They both sat up sharply, but she told him to wait while she checked. Moments later, she emerged from the bathroom and approached him. With a tiny grin gracing her lips, she said one simple, yet life-changing word.

"Positive."

* * *

**That was not my best work, but it already took me a month to get it written, so I didn't want to delay any longer. I am going to try my best get the next chapter out sooner. Here is the title for the next chapter!**

**"Is Almost Our Normal?"**

**Thanks and tune back in!**

**~be-a-genius**


	7. Is Almost Our Normal?

**Hey everyone,**

**Sorry again about the delay. I just did not have the motivation to write this chapter, so it has been inching along. I hope it turned out alright for you all. I think this is only going to go about 2 or 3 more chapters before I put a lid on it. Send me reviews to keep me writing!**

**TRIGGER WARNING- miscarriage, hospitals**

* * *

The stiff waiting room chair felt cold against his back. He sat still, feet flat against the floor, elbows on his knees, his head resting on his hands. He positioned his gaze forward, eyes staring unblinkingly at the desolate and empty cream wall.

To his right sat Sylvester, fiddling with a tiny Rubix cube. His chair had been wiped down with Lysol wipes, and he had already moved seats three times, keeping the maximum distance between himself and the sickly patients in the emergency room. Paige sat on Sylvester's left, holding his hand as a friendly gesture. Walter stayed at the garage with Ralph. Given the circumstances, Ralph needed someone with him, and it was more important for Paige to be present at the hospital.

Toby let out a deep sigh, feeling the emptiness of the waiting room sucking the life out of him with a straw. He had only been to the hospital a couple of times, the first being when Walter drove his car off of a cliff; the most recent being when Ralph burned himself in a freak chemistry accident. But there was something that set this visit apart from any of his other visits. Unlike the hours spent worrying in the waiting room in the past, there was not a warm and comfortable presence sitting to his left. He did not have her soft hand to hold. Her head was not leaning against his shoulder. For the first time, he was in this waiting room chair because of her, and he didn't like it.

"Family of Happy Curtis?" said a friendly-looking doctor as she stepped through the doors leading to the patient care rooms. Toby, Sylvester, and Paige were immediately on their feet, making their way to the door. The nurse smiled and led them through to a small room with a desk and three chairs. Sylvester, Paige, and the nurse took their seats while Toby remained standing. The nurse cleared her throat and pulled out a piece of paperwork and a pen. She addressed them with a smile and shook their hands.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Tara Brown. I was the surgeon in charge during Mrs. Curtis' procedure this evening."

"Nice to meet you," Paige replied, politely shaking the doctor's hand. Sylvester smiled in acknowledgment and reluctantly returned the handshake. Toby nodded and tucked his hands in his pockets, refusing to break his silence.

"Alright," Dr. Brown clicked on the end of her pen, "Please tell me your names and relation to the patient."

"Sylvester Dodd," Sylvester started, "Friend, but more like a brother."

The doctor smiled and nodded, scribbling notes on her paperwork. Next, she turned to Paige.

"Paige O'Brien, maiden name Dineen," she replied, "Also a close friend."

"Alright," said the doctor before looking up at Toby, "That just leaves you, sir."

"Dr. Tobias Curtis," Toby said with a sigh, "Husband."

The nurse nodded and signed at the bottom of her paperwork. Finally, she turned back to the worried group.

"The surgery went well," Dr. Brown began, "We were able to replenish most of the blood that Mrs. Curtis lost."

"Happy," said Sylvester, "You can call her Happy."

The nurse smiled and nodded. She opened her mouth to continue but was interrupted.

"What about the baby?" Toby questioned, using one hand to brace himself against the back of Paige's chair. The look on the doctor's face told him the answer, but he needed to hear it.

"Unfortunately," Dr. Brown answered solemnly, "The baby was deceased before the procedure. By the time Happy was in the operating room, it was too late to save him."

Toby's heart sank into his stomach. The room started to spin and his heart began to beat fast, too fast. Being a psychiatrist, he knew that this reaction was common for people experiencing a sudden loss, but at the moment, Toby was sure he was going to die. He leaned forward, using both hands on the back of Paige's chair to brace himself from falling. Paige, noticing the shrink's distress, jumped to her feet and grabbed Toby's arm, gently guiding him into her chair before taking his hand and squeezing it comfortingly. Toby appreciated the effort, but it still didn't feel right. It wasn't the right hand holding his.

"Can we see her?" Paige asked quietly. She kept a firm grip on Toby's hand, even as she felt tears of her own coming to her eyes.

"She is still very weak and coming off of anesthesia," said the doctor, "But it will probably be good for Mr. Curtis to be there for her. Usually, we recommend that the father tell their wife when an event like this happens, but Happy knew what had happened the moment she woke up."

Toby allowed a small grin to grace his lips. Not even anesthesia could stop Happy's beautiful mind.

Paige and Sylvester nodded, helping Toby stand up before exiting the small room. While the two left to wait in the waiting room, Toby followed (or rather led) the doctor to Happy's room. Dr. Brown had to run to keep up with him. Finally spotting Happy's name on the door of room 15, Toby broke through the light curtain and entered to find Happy lying half-asleep on an uncomfortable cot. Just as the doctor said, she was still fighting off the anesthesia, but Happy still looked up at the familiar sound of Toby's footfalls running down the corridor.

Toby's throat constricted as he saw his wife lying helplessly on the cot in front of him. She was connected to numerous cables and tubes, including a heart monitor and nasal cannula. Morphine and fluids dripped from suspended bags into an IV on Happy's wrist. Her eyelids fluttered as she tried to wake up. He rushed forward, falling into one of the chairs by her bed. He took her hand and pressed a soft kiss to it. In return, Happy tilted her head to the side and opened her eyes fully, looking into Toby's eyes. Their gazes met, and they had a silent conversation, taking in each other's moods and thoughts in a matter of seconds. In Toby's eyes, Happy saw regret, fear, and despair. But in Happy's eyes, Toby didn't see regret. Yes, he did see sadness, deep grief and loss that could only be felt by a mother. Yes, there were unshed tears hiding behind her gaze. But at the same time, he saw determination. Cold, hard determination.

"Great! You're awake!" the doctor interrupted, breaking the moment between the couple as their eyes flashed to the voice.

"My name is Dr. Tara Brown," the doctor addressed Happy, "I was in charge of your surgery this evening. I have been told that you are aware of the situation?"

Happy nodded slightly, throat still sore from the tube that they had to put in during the procedure.

"Alright, then I guess I just need to say that we are going to keep you on a water-only diet for now. No more than a few sips at a time. We need to see how your gut reacts to the surgery."

Happy nodded again.

"The nurses will be in momentarily to take you up to a patient room. At that point, you can have visitors, but make sure you get some rest."

"Don't worry," Toby reassured the woman, "I will keep an eye on her."

Happy rolled her eyes and let a small grin brush her lips.

"Great," said the doctor, "I will let you two have some time. I am sorry for your loss."

Toby's throat constricted once again and he found himself unable to speak. He settled for a head nod in acknowledgment as the doctor left the room. He then turned back to Happy and saw her let the tears she had been holding back fall from her eyes. Toby's own tears spilled over as he pulled Happy in, cautious of the stitches in her abdomen, and held her close. Within moments, her tears stained his shirt. He knew she was holding back sobs because the movement sent pain down her abdomen. But Toby didn't hold back. They cried in each other's arms, determined that if they were going to show weakness, they wouldn't be doing it alone.

After what felt like hours, Toby and Happy's tears began to subside. Toby could tell that Happy was exhausted from crying and from the surgery. So he removed himself from the edge of her bed and made his way out of the room to ask how long it would be to get her in a more permanent room. But her soft voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Toby?" she muttered the first words she had spoken since he had entered the room.

"Yeah, Haps?"

"Is this it?" she asked him, fear and despair in her eyes, "Is this how it is always going to be? Is "almost" our normal now?"

Toby's eyes once again filled with tears he didn't know he had left. He rushed once again to Happy's side, original plan abandoned. Standing in front of her, he took both of her hands and looked her in the eyes. The determination that he saw in her gaze moments ago was gone.

"No," he said, "this is not how it is going to be. Maybe this was not what was meant for us. This was not our destiny."

"Do you seriously think that the future is predetermined?" Happy bitterly laughed.

"Yes," Toby replied plainly, "I think that, no matter how awful and terrifying this is, it happened for a reason. This is not where we belong, even if it is what we want. But we need to get through this together. This will not beat us."

Happy felt the tears begin to subside, her heart set with determination once again. Even while she was weighed down by grief, pain, and numerous machines and tubes, she felt her chest lighten.

"You're right," she said, "Even though this is the worst possible thing that could have happened, it happened and it is over. This child taught us a lesson. We can never give up."

"There's still adoption," said Toby.

"I would love to give a foster child the life I never had," Happy replied. Toby wiped away his tears one last time. He turned and met Happy's gaze, reflecting her determination his eyes. Their hands met in a firm grip- an unspoken promise that they would never let go.

* * *

They sat there for a long time, dazed by grief and hope alike. Their minds were racing, imagining what was going to happen in the next chapter of their life. Meanwhile, the nurse came in to move them to a separate room but decided to give them a few more minutes to themselves. Finally, Happy spoke in a rough and tired voice.

"He needs a name," Happy said, "he deserves a name."

Toby swallowed thickly, brought back into the present by her comment.

"Robert," he said, "that was my father's name."

"Patrick was my father's name," Happy added, "that would make a good second name."

"Robert Patrick Curtis," Toby tested, liking the feel of the name on his tongue, "It's perfect."

* * *

**Sorry about that depressing one. I hope you all caught the reference I snuck in the end with the baby's name. :) Send me your reviews!**

**Also, in response to a question from an anonymous reviewer- Robert is the name I chose to be Toby's father's name (yes, my mistake was a typo). It is not cannon yet, but if you have ready my story "Messed Up", this would make more sense. Sorry for any confusion and thanks from the hands up!**

**Title of the next chapter: "Almost Ready"**

**~be-a-genius**


	8. Almost Ready

**Hello!**

**Aren't you proud of me! I worked really hard to get this up for you all _on time_. I hope you enjoy it! This chapter is a lot happier than the other ones. **

**Thank you for all of the great reviews! It helped me get this chapter out for you quickly. Also, thank you to a guest reviewer for your comments on the ending of the first chapter. I am thankful for the constructive criticism.**

**Finally, a huge shout out to ao3feed-scorpion for posting my story on Tumblr! As I've said before, I don't have a Tumblr, so I can't promote my story there. Thank you for the help!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Scorpion.**

* * *

"Toby! Wake up!" Happy yelled in Toby's face as she blearily read the alarm clock, "She's going to be here in a half hour!"

"Whaaa…?" Toby cracked open his sleepy eyes and stole a peek at the alarm clock. _12:30_ it read. Three hours later than what he set it to the night before.

"Crap!" he shouted and flew out of bed, "I swear I set the alarm for 9:30!"

Agitated, Happy picked up the clock and checked the alarm setting. Realizing the shrink's mistake, she sighed and turned away towards the door.

"9:30 _PM_."

Toby's eyes widened. He dove across the bed, determined to prove her wrong. However, much to Toby's dismay, the alarm as indeed set to 9:30 PM, not AM

"Oops," he muttered, putting on his puppy dog eyes and looking up at his angry wife, "I'm so sorry, Happy. I'm an idiot and-"

"Just shut up and get dressed," Happy said, grabbing a towel and her bathrobe, "I'm taking a shower. Make sure you look presentable for the social worker."

The past year was an emotional rollercoaster. It took Happy a few weeks to recover physically from the surgery, but the emotional scars would never heal. Even though the couple had been doing a good job keeping their grief at a healthy level, there were days when neither genius could take it. Some days, Happy questioned the reason she ever developed her EQ. Other days, Toby wanted to take to the bottle and the poker table. But, somehow, they managed to pick up each other's pieces and keep the other from making rash decisions.

They decided early on in the year that their next step would be foster parenting. Adoption was expensive and difficult, so they decided fostering would be a better place to start. Happy put her extra time and energy into getting the apartment child-proofed and safe, creating special locks on the drawers to dangerous chemicals, alcohol, and her tools. She also built a bed and furniture for their spare room. Toby worked on all of the legal things, getting together proper paperwork, reading up on the fostering and foster-to-adoption programs. He helped clean up the living space and threw away anything that was considered unnecessary. He arranged classes at the medical center for Happy and himself. They worked like a well-oiled machine.

All of this led up to today's meeting, the day that the social worker was coming to evaluate the apartment. The couple had spoken with the social worker once before over the phone. She was one of the new recruits at the agency around the time that Happy was released from the system, so she was familiar with Happy and her quirks. The mechanic was not sure if this was a good or a bad thing, but she planned to go along with it and hope for the best. After Happy got out of the shower and Toby got dressed, they prepared a quick breakfast, straightened up the living room and kitchen and sat down on the couch. A tense, but excited silence filled the air as the duo sat, staring at the blank television screen. Thousands of thoughts and worries passed through their minds as they waited for the social worker to arrive.

Finally, there was a knock on the door. Toby jumped up and answered the call. The door swung open to reveal a short and kind-looking middle-aged woman. Toby looked her down once over and determined that she was a happily married mother of two children and a labrador. She also did pilates on the weekends.

"Hello! I'm Tracie Puller," the lady said happily, "you must be Dr. Curtis?"

"Yes ma'am," Toby replied, careful to use good manners, "Please come in."

The social worker nodded and entered the apartment. Her eyes began closely scrutinizing the space, checking to make sure it seemed safe and clean. The look in her eyes told Toby that she was satisfied with her first impression. Happy stood up as she saw Mrs. Puller enter and put on a fake smile. She held out her hand to the social worker and she accepted it.

"Happy Quinn!" Tracie exclaimed, "My, how you've changed!"

"It's actually Happy Curtis now," she replied, "but thank you. It's been so long since I've seen you."

"And you as well," the social worker returned. She entered the living space of the apartment and stopped to check a few items on her checklist. Then she turned to the anxious couple.

"So," she began, "We will begin with the household examination and then I will ask you some questions. I assume you have prepared the paperwork I told you to fill out?"

"Done," said Toby, handing over a manilla envelope of papers.

"Fantastic," Mrs. Puller took the envelope, "Can we begin with the kitchen?"

The inspection went relatively well. Happy showed off her state-of-the-art security systems and protective locks. At first, the social worker was concerned about the quality of the handmade devices, but was quickly proven wrong when she heard Happy credentials. Mrs. Puller commented that the apartment only met the minimum size requirement, and even though this would not hinder them from getting a license, it may be easier to move into a larger home at some point. Other than that, the social worker was satisfied and impressed with the quality of their apartment.

"Your home meets all of the requirements," Mrs. Puller said as she scribbled a few more notes on her clipboard, "are you ready to begin the interview?"

Toby and Happy nodded and led the social worker to their kitchen table. She took a seat across from the couple and pulled out a new form and a pen. Toby and Happy sat nervously, holding hands underneath the table. Tracie smiled at the two.

"Relax!" she said in a soothing voice, "All you need to do is answer these questions truthfully and as best as you can. I'm not here to judge you."

Mrs. Puller saw the couple's shoulders relax. Knowing Happy's background, she understood her nervousness. Trust issues were hard to break down.

"How long have you known each other and how long have you been married?" she asked.

"Eight years, married for three," Toby replied with confidence.

"Have there been any arguments that have caused threats of divorce or separation?"

"No."

"With your permission, I have looked through your medical records. Happy, within the past year, you were treated for a miscarriage. Has this caused any disharmony in your marriage?"

Happy frowned but shook her head.

"If anything it has brought us closer together. We accept that we cannot change what happened, but that we can keep going."

"Do you agree, Mr. Curtis?" said the social worker.

"Of course," he replied, eyes showing the truth.

Mrs. Puller nodded and continued. Most of the questions had to do with their lives at home and work, as well as their social lives. _How long have you been employed with your current employer?_ _Have stressful relationships outside of your home caused any issues in your marriage? _ For most of the questions, their answer was the "correct" answer and Tracie was able to move on. However, a couple of issues did rise.

"Can your line of work put you or your potential foster child in danger?" the social worker asked in her usual cheery tone.

"Well…" Toby began nervously, "We do work for Homeland Security, so we find ourselves out in the field. We do everything in our power to assure that harm does not come to ourselves or any of our team members."

"Would you be okay if I talked to your employer and coworkers to verify that fact?" Tracie asked.

"Definitely," Happy replied. She knew the team wouldn't mind being asked a few questions for their friends.

Then the next tough question came up.

"Do you have a mental disorder that could cause harm to your foster child?"

Happy swallowed thickly. Toby looked down at his feet.

"We both were raised in unfavorable circumstances," Happy began, "It did leave us with scars that have caused us problems, but they improve every day."

"Can you please expand on the types of issues you are talking about?" Mrs. Puller prodded.

"As you probably already know," Toby began, "Happy's experiences have left her with trust and anger issues, as well as some social anxiety. I have addictive tendencies and egomania."

"We feel like we have been able to help each other," Happy continued, "Not only does Toby have a PhD in Psychology, but we are able to understand each other in ways that nobody else can."

"Have you seen a counselor or therapist?" Mrs. Puller questioned, keeping a neutral position.

"I have my own therapist who I consult on occasion," Toby replied, "Happy usually comes to me to speak about her problems, but she also has connections with outside parties if she wants a second opinion."

"Personally," Mrs. Puller said, dropping her cheery facade, "I can see the improvement that you have made, Happy. You are twice the person you were when you left the system."

"Thank you for your compliments," Happy said, "But I just needed to find the right person to knock down my walls."

All three people at the table smiled. Toby lightly squeezed Happy's hand.

"You are both going to need to undergo psych evaluations with a government certified psychiatrist before I can approve you," Tracie replied, "but as long as this will not affect the child, it should not be an issue."

The rest of the interview went smoothly, and Mrs. Puller had made it through her list quickly. After checking the paperwork and arranging times and dates for their psychology appointments and workplace interviews, the social worker turned to leave.

"It was a pleasure to see you again, Happy," Mrs. Puller said, "You have grown into a great young woman. I wish you and your husband the best."

"It was nice to meet you," said Toby, shaking her hand.

"And you," Tracie replied, "Take good care of Happy for me."

"Always," Toby promised, smiling into Happy's eyes.

Finally, Mrs. Puller took her leave. As soon as the door slammed shut, both of the fake smiles fell off of the genius' faces. Groaning, they fell backwards onto the couch.

"That was exhausting…" Toby sighed.

"How do normals do it?" Happy murmured, placing her head on Toby's shoulder.

"I don't know," he replied, "but we are going to have to if this is going to work out."

Happy sighed.

"Are we ready for this?" she questioned, disheartened.

Toby smirked and looked down at his wife.

"Almost."

* * *

**Sorry if there were a few inaccuracies. I got all of my information off of the internet, so you never know. Send me your reviews!**

**Title of the next chapter: "Almost There"**

**~be-a-genius**


End file.
